The Little Mermaid (1989) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: The Little Mermaid
Year: 1989
Director: Ron Clements
Country: US
Language: English

A huge blockbuster for Disney, The Little Mermaid grossed over $200 million dollars at the time of its release. It is notable the last Disney animated feature to use hand-painted cells and analog camera and film work. Over one million drawings were done in total; thankfully future animation wasn't as tedious. The film also ushered in a new model of home entertainment, getting released on video eight months after its release in theaters.

In this picture,  a mermaid princess named Ariel (Jodi Benson) makes a Faustian bargain with an unscrupulous sea-witch (Pat Carroll)  in order to meet a human prince on land. 

The Little Mermaid put an end to Disney's trend of box office failures and ushered in a "Disney Renaissance"; essentially a period of animated features that would be artistically endearing as well as bring in a LOT of money to the company. Part of the reason for Mermaid's success is the music; Part of Your World  and Poor Unfortunate Souls are some of the most recognizable songs in Disney's entire filmography. The animation is also beautifully drawn; even small details like the amount of bubbles used in every frame are taken into careful consideration. 

If you're looking for a good feminist picture, you aren't going to find it here. The theme involves a young girl giving up her voice for a much older man that she just met. The movie shows just how far a pretty body and face goes; you don't even have to talk to get the prince of your dreams! Thankfully Disney would reconcile this misdemeanor with Mulan (1998) but I can't help but wonder if this technically great film should be shown to younger generations because of its rather shallow attitude towards women, love,and relationships in general. At best, Little Mermaid is built on morally shaky ground.

The Little Mermaid is very entertaining. It keeps a good pace, has a great mix of drama and comedy, and none of the scenes feel like filler. With inventive direction and animation, it's hard to claim that this is a "bad" picture. The story is quite flawed, but I'd be hard pressed to say that it wasn't memorable.